Close Encounters of the Unexpected Kind
by WinterDance
Summary: A skeleton, a giant stapler, an alien pendant and a hot blonde create havoc putting Tosh in several positions, both good and bad. Part of the Unseen verse.
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is the first part of the Unseen verse's version of Greeks Bering Gifts. In the timeline, the first chapter of Interludes takes place just before this. I own nothing, an my only payment is in the form of your kind words.**

Tosh sometimes wondered just what she had done in a previous life to warrant the utter shit that seemed to be determined to drown her at times. While the actions she had undertaken to save her mother should held no regret for, the best part of it all was the work she did now. Jack rescuing her, believing in her, and giving her this vast new world of possibilities and impossibilities made the whole ordeal worthwhile. The fact that she was allowed contact with her family - even if her mother didn't remember exactly what had happened to her - was an added bonus. However, there was the downside to this and that manifested in the completely unrealistic feelings she had for Owen Harper. She really had no delusions about the kind of person he was and her chances with him yet there was a part of her that refused to give up the fantasy. He was rude, cruel, filled with animosity and self-pity - and those were his good points.

Since the cannibals he had seemed to be slightly more caring in general but now, listening to the whispering and giggling from the autopsy bay she figured out it had far more to do with Gwen than it did with anyone else. They thought they were clever, they thought they were discrete, they thought that the fact they came and left separately was hiding the reality of their affair. What irritated Tosh most of all was Gwen's constant berating of them all about how wonderful her boyfriend was, how much he took care of her, how much he loved her - and she repaid all of that by falling into bed with Owen. Tosh sighed and adjusted her glasses, focusing her eyes on the translation program she was working on. She wished Ianto and Jack were here but the two of them had gone Weevil hunting which she thought was just an excuse to get out of the Hub and spend time together.

That was another thing that bothered her. It was obvious that Ianto and Jack had formed a bond and were together but Gwen continued her flirting with their leader, often ignoring or almost shoving Ianto aside to gain his attention. Jack treated her differently - he had toned down the flirting and made it clear he was not interested - but she wouldn't give up and several times Tosh had seen Ianto's lips thin in anger and how he had to bite back the remarks that threatened to spring forth. More giggling and a soft moan came from the autopsy bay and Tosh had enough. Leaving her computers running, she got up and headed down to the archives to retrieve several more files of examples of alien language that needed to be input.

She was only gone about fifteen minutes but when she came back everything had gone to shit.

As usual.

Stunned, she could only stare at the blank screen of the monitors on her desk. "What happened?"

"Well," Owen said, laughing, "Gwen said I was rubbish at sport so I threw the basketball at her and she threw it back and somehow it hit your desk and I think some things came unplugged. Just duck under there and stick them back in and everything should be good."

Gwen snickered at Owen's "stick them back in" comment and then flashed a smirk at Tosh. "No harm meant, sweetheart, just a bit of..."

"Do you have any idea of the problems you might have just caused?" Tosh hurried to her desk and set the files down before turning to glare at Gwen. "No harm done? Well fine, Gwen, when we don't know if an alien is saying 'hello' or 'this bomb will wipe out your planet' then right, of course, we can have a good laugh and remember because of your carelessness there was no harm done. We're supposed to be working. Do you remember working? What you get paid for. You do not get paid to throw basketballs back and forth around sensitive equipment. You do not get paid to play solitaire," and here she turned to look at a rather surprised Owen, "or to watch porn. You do not get paid to spend your time in the autopsy bay giggling and carrying on like a couple of horny teenagers with spots!" Breathing hard, Tosh opened the bottom draw of her desk and pulled out her handbag. "You know what, I need a drink. You explain this to Jack." She started for the cog door but stopped when Owen called her name.

"Tosh! You know what?" He stalked toward her, his face twisted into a scowl. "You need to get shagged or something or at least find some way to remove that stick up your arse which in fact has a stick up its arse! Just because you're unable to find anyone interested in sticking anything up that dried out..!" That was as far as he made it. Unnoticed, Jack and Ianto had come in from the garage and whatever Owen had been about to say was lost when Ianto grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, his other hand balled into a fist and landing squarely on Owen's mouth. The medic hit the floor and stared up at the enraged man above him.

"Get up!" Ianto was furious, both hands now clenched into fists. "Get up! She's got more class in her little finger than you will ever have or deserve!" He spun to face Gwen. "And you! Always telling us how we don't understand and how wonderful Rhys is! He's a bloody imbecile if he thinks you actually give a damn about him! You think we all don't know you're fucking Owen? How stupid do you think we are? You stink of it!" He was shaking so hard that Jack had trouble getting hold of him. "Either one of you ever open your mouths to her like that again and I will kill you!" He let Jack guide him towards his office, reaching out and catching Tosh's arm to take her along.

"Hey! You...!" Owen was stopped when Jack turned and pointed at him.

"Not a word." Jack ushered Tosh and Ianto to the bottom of the stairs that lead to his office, giving them a gentle shove to keep them going before taking several deep breaths. He remained at the bottom of the stairs until they were inside his office with the door closed before turning back to face the other two members of his team. "What happened?"

"It was an accident," Gwen said, widening her eyes at Jack. "We were playing, tossing the basketball, and somehow it hit Tosh's station and unplugged some of her computers."

Jack tipped his head back and tried to hold on to his temper. "And I suppose her translation program was running?"

"Whatever," Owen snapped, getting to his feet. "You best tell your shag that if he..."

"Owen, you are in enough trouble. Watch your mouth. Now why is it the two of you have so much time to be playing basketball? Gwen, you have two stacks of folders on your desk of uncompleted paperwork and Owen, I seem to recall a skeleton you are supposed to be figuring out the cause of death on and if you are finished that I see a good amount of paperwork on your desk as well. And then shall we address what you said to Tosh that actually got Ianto so pissed he punched you? For the record, if he hadn't I would have. If you ever talk to her like that again, in fact if you ever talk to anyone on this team like that again, you can expect me to come down on you a thousand times harder than Ianto just did. I don't want to hear a word out of either of you. Gwen, get to work. That paperwork is to be completed before you leave. Owen, you can get the Weevil out of the SUV and clean it out. You have so much time on your hands let me give you something to do. After that, you also will finish every bit of that paperwork before you leave here tonight. Now get to work." He left them both standing there, mouths hanging open, and went up the steps to his office to find out how the other two were faring.

He might have been a bit more concerned if he hadn't found them sitting on his couch, tumblers of scotch in hand and laughing. Arching an eyebrow he picked up the glass Ianto indicated before going to drop beside the archivist and throwing an arm over his shoulders. Tosh peered round Ianto and raised her drink at him. "You have excellent taste in scotch, Captain Harkness. And in men."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "I bought the scotch. And come to think of it I propositioned him. It's all my taste."

"And you taste wonderful," Jack purred. He grunted when Ianto elbowed him but the smile remained on his face. "I take it you heard me?"

"Nope. We decided we are going to go get drunk and when we get back we are going to ignore them. Not worth our time." Ianto leaned his head on Jack's shoulder. "I lost my temper, and I know I shouldn't have. I won't apologize though, what he said was..."

"What he said was immature, thoughtless and incredibly wrong."

"Well, if I had any remaining illusions I don't now," Tosh said with a sigh. "In a way I'm glad though because I think it was that dream of having something with him that kept me from actually seeing anything else. now I feel a need to go out, find something gorgeous, and screw them through my mattress." She burst out laughing at the expression on both men's faces. "Oh come on, did you think I was a virgin? I know everyone thinks I only care about the tech and such but woman does not live by devices alone! Although, some devices can be a lot of fun."

Jack literally fell off the couch. "Toshiko Sato! Where have you been hiding this side of you?"

Ianto leered at her. "I don't know but I like it."

"If you like it that much then you can buy me a drink." Tosh tossed back the last of her scotch and got up. "Come on, Mister Jones. You and I are going out and you are going to help me find something fun to do. Or someone. We'll leave Jack here to keep an eye on the children."

Ianto leaned down and gave Jack a light kiss. "We're off then. I'll phone you when I'm back at mine and you can come over?"

Still trying to wrap his head round this new and rather erotic side of Tosh, Jack nodded. "Right." He sat there, still on the floor with glass in hand, and watched them leave. It was only after he heard the alarms that he snorted and got to his feet. "Still waters indeed," he muttered before going to his desk and dropping into his chair. He eyed the pile of work in his inbox and sighed. Apparently he needed to have a good bit done before he left for the night as well. With the thought of what his night might entail, Jack grabbed the first file and opened it, picking up his pen and beginning to read.

-TW-

Two hours later they were in their second club with drinks in hand. Ianto was torn between laughing so hard he thought his jaw was going to break and being so shocked at how absolutely filthy Tosh could be that he wanted to take her back to the Hub and scan for alien influence. She was telling him what she thought was going on between a slightly balding, rather rotund man and the leggy ginger that was with him when a gorgeous blonde woman slide onto the bench seat next to Tosh. "I've been watching you from over there," she purred, curling her leg up and half turning to get as close to Tosh as she could without touching. "Has anyone ever told you that you are so beautiful you take their breath?"

"At least twice a night," Ianto dead panned.

Tosh, slightly tipsy and quite giggly, blushed and smiled. "No, not really. I'm Tosh."

"Mary," the blonde said with a smile. "So, am I wasting my time?

"Nope," Ianto said, popping the "p", "she's not with me. She's my best friend though so don't do anything that might hurt her." He looked at Tosh and winked. "I think it is time for me to head off and see if Jack has managed to finish any of his paperwork or plan a suitable punishment if he hasn't. Then again, any punishment I come up with he seems to regard as less of a punishment and more in the lines of..." He stopped talking and snickered. "And that's enough of that. Have a wonderful night ladies and Tosh, if you're late to work tomorrow I will be more than happy to tell Jack why." Ianto leaned over and kissed her cheek before waving a hand and getting up, leaving the two women laughing as he headed for the door.

Tosh took a long swallow of her wine and then turned to be able to better see Mary. "So, what brings you here tonight? And that is a lovely pendent." Tosh touched it, letting her fingers linger on the cool stone. "It's beautiful. Where is it from? I don't think I've seen the stone before."

"It's from my home...country. Would you like to try it on? It has some very special abilities."

Tosh frowned, suddenly wishing Ianto hadn't left so quickly. "Abilities?"

Mary reached behind her neck and unfastened the chain. "Yes. Try it, and I'll explain." She carefully fastened it around Tosh's neck, settling the stone against her chest and then sitting back.

They hit Tosh like a multitude of slaps. Voices, coming at her from everywhere, some louder than others but all of them talking over and round one another, disjointed sentences and ramblings, some sweet, some crude, some out and out vicious and then through them all she heard Mary's voice, drawing her attention and forcing the others into the background.

_Focus on me, Tosh. Hear me and let the rest fade away. Look at me, beautiful. Look at me and let my words fill your mind._

Tosh felt her head turn, her eyes drawn to Mary. The other voices did fade, somehow being pushed behind a sort of curtain that allowed her to know they were there but let her "hear" Mary over them all. "Who are you?" she gasped.

_Don't speak, just think to me. I'm just a woman who sees someone so beautiful and so lonely, somehow who should be worshiped and loved and treasured. All the words that you hear with your ears are such a small part of the people themselves, it is their thoughts that allow you to know how they truly feel. When you hear my thoughts what do you feel, Toshiko?_

_**How do you know my full name? And I feel desire and lust and that you want to know what my lips feel like against yours, how my mouth will taste on your tongue and how...oh! **_Tosh ripped the pendant off her neck and stared at Mary. "That was just a bit personal!" she stammered. "And how do you know my name?"

"I belong to a group called The Scavengers. We seek out information and proof that there is life on other planets. it would be hard not to know who the computer genius of Torchwood is." Mary held up her hands when Tosh reached for her bag. "I mean you no harm! I really do find you attractive, and I do want to kiss you, to find out how your mouth tastes on my tongue." She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "And it might be personal but I do want to watch your face when you come screaming from my hands and my mouth." She sat back and smiled. "You can keep the pendant. I just want you."

It was not the smartest thing to do, it was certainly not what protocol demanded she do but after the day she had, the final nail in the coffin that was any potential relationship between her and Owen, and the shivers that ran through her body at the images Mary had given her, Tosh downed the rest of her wine and grabbed Mary's hand, dragging her from the club and already planning just how she was going to explain taking the night to shag whoever she was through the mattress before bringing her in to find out just how much she knew.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual but it seemed to be a natural stopping point. I thank everyone for the continued support and encouragement and will attempt to keep updating as fast as possible. Still own nothing, still think Gwen should have been killed off in the first part of season one and still think they should have had way more kissing/make out/full blown sex scenes with Jack & Ianto.**

She had forgotten how wonderful it felt to wake up with the pleasant soreness and exhaustion that could only come from a night of brilliant sex. Turning on her side, Tosh traced a finger over Mary's cheekbone, smiling when she crinkled her nose in her sleep. She hated to wake her but a quick glance at the clock told her she was already more than an hour late for work and if she didn't get up now she might not bother to go at all. Deciding she could at least make tea before she woke her, Tosh eased out of the bed, grabbing one of the sheets that lay in a tangled pile at the bottom of the bed and wrapping it round her. The only part of the bedding that remained on the bed was the large comforter and that had been haphazardly over them both. The sex had been energetic and far more fun than Tosh had imagined and while her bedroom looked as if a typhoon had blown through she wouldn't have changed a moment. Humming to herself, feeling far happier than she had in she couldn't remember how long, Tosh went to the kitchen, rinsed the kettle and added water before plugging it in and getting everything she needed to make tea for them both while she waited. She was happily started when the sheet was unwound and Mary's naked body fitted itself to hers before twining the sheet round them both.

"I tried not to wake you," Tosh told her, turning her head and finding herself lost in a kiss that started the heat low in her belly. "Work," she muttered, trying to pull away, "I have to go to work."

"So you'll be late." Mary began walking backwards, using the sheet and her arms to pull Tosh along.

"I'm already late!" Tosh managed to turn off the kettle before she was dragged too far away, laughing when their feet somehow got tangled and they ended up on the floor.

"Now you'll be later."

Tosh's only answer was a low moan when Mary's hand slipped between her legs.

-TW-

"Nothing?"

"Not yet." Ianto grinned over his shoulder at Jack. "You are not going to beg her for details, Jack. They really seemed to get along, in just the few moments I was there it was as if no one else was in the room."

Jack pouted and slipped his arms round Ianto's waist, fitting himself to his back and laying his chin on the Welshman's shoulder. "She's almost three hours late! I'm allowed to be concerned."

"Concerned, yes. Nosey, no." Ianto flipped the on switch and set the coffee maker to work before leaning back into Jack's chest. "I was really worried about her yesterday. And I mean it Jack, one word out of either of those two and I'm letting Janet take them for a walk. I'd let Myfanwy but I don't want her to end up with indigestion from rotten meat."

"You have a very dark streak in you that I find incredibly sexy," jack purred, nuzzling Ianto's neck.

"You find everything sexy," Ianto said, laughing and trying to fight his way free. "Now stop it!"

"No! I want a..." Jack's words were cut off by the alarms sounding as the cog door opened. "She's here!" Before Ianto could grab him Jack was gone. "Tosh! Tosh! I've been waiting for hours! I want to know everything!"

Ianto sighed and rolled his eyes, adding Tosh's mug to the tray and setting about fixing the various coffees, knowing that if nothing else she was going to need one to keep from strangling Jack. He carried the tray down to the main part of the Hub, laughing at the sight of Jack draped over Tosh and whispering in her ear, her giggles and bright red cheeks more than enough proof of Jack's far from appropriate curiosity. Gwen was sitting at her desk looking as if she had eaten something bad while Owen looked slightly stunned; perhaps seeing a different side of the normally quiet and shy Toshiko than he was used to.

"_Jack_! I am _not_ telling you that!" Still giggling, Tosh shoved him away. "I need to talk to you though, you and Ianto. It's about this." She pulled the pendant out of her bag and held it up. "Mary gave it to me and it's not exactly costume jewelry."

"No, it isn't." Jack took it from her and examined the stone. "Do you know what it does?"

"It allows you to hear people's thoughts." Tosh shrugged her shoulders when he looked at her. "She put it on me last night after Ianto left. I could hear everyone in the club."

"Right. Everyone to the boardroom. Ianto, can you bring the coffees up there?" Jack started for the steps, still carrying the pendant. "And I still want details, Tosh!"

Tosh got up from her chair and joined Ianto in climbing the stairs to the boardroom, ignoring the other two who followed. "I am not giving him details."

Ianto snickered. "I'm not asking, just tell me if you had fun."

"Fun? Oh, I had _multiple_ fun," Tosh said, giving him a very saucy wink and a grin.

Ianto shook his head. "Toshiko Sato, I'm beginning to think you have spent far too much time around Jack."

From the boardroom they heard him snort. "Hey! I resent that!" he yelled.

Laughing, Tosh and Ianto entered the room, Tosh taking her seat and Ianto passing out the coffee before taking his. Gwen and Owen, still silent, sat down as well, their eyes darting between Tosh and Jack. Jack glanced up and sighed. "Right. This is an enhancer. It allows a person with little or no telepathic powers to be able to hear the thoughts of other people. Or not quite people. So who is this Mary, Tosh? And where did she get this?"

"She said she belongs to a group called The Scavengers. They believe in alien life and are always on the lookout for ways to prove it. I believe her about the group, but I don't think she's there just because of a belief in aliens. She looks human," and here Tosh rolled her eyes when Jack leered, "and yes, in every way, but at the same time there were moments when I thought I saw...something."

"Well, the pendant is definitely alien and I believe it's Arcateenian. Which means..." Jack suddenly groaned and slapped a hand against his forehead. "Of course! the stapler! It's a transport, also Arcateenian. It's a two man transport, usually used for a prisoner and a guard. And I'm guessing that Mary was the prisoner." He frowned. "She's taken a human form though. Believe me, if she was in her natural state she'd stand out in a crowd. The nice thing is that most of her species are gentle. Very laid back. If she was a prisoner she was most likely in trouble for something political. They tend to go through governments and if you've been a strong supporter of the one that just got overthrown they are more than happy to lock you away. She showed no signs of aggression, Tosh?"

"None. She introduced herself to us, Jack. She admitted to me after Ianto left she knew who I was and she knew about Torchwood." Tosh lowered her eyes. "I know I should have phoned you and brought her in right away but she seemed to be harmless and she was honest so..."

"So you figured you'd get in a shag first," Owen snarked.

"Ianto." Jack caught his arm even as he stood. "Owen, considering the things you have done in the past for meaningless sex, I would think you should shut up. And as I said, this species is not violent. If there had been any indication there was a possible issue I'm sure Tosh would have called. All she knew is that the woman was a part of some internet group that knows who we are. While we don't advertise, it's not as if we are some huge secret that no one has ever heard of."

"Sit down, Tea Boy. I'm expecting it today so don't think you'll get another free shot."

"Oh shut up, Owen!" Tosh glared at him, her hands balled into fists and resting on the table. "If Ianto wanted to he would have done far more damage than he did yesterday and you know it. Get over yourself. I certainly am. Don't sit there with some holier than thou attitude when you've used alien means to get someone to have sex with you. And while you're shagging someone who actually has a decent partner outside of here. I find it amazing how easily you talk down to Ianto and me as if you have any right to consider yourself above us." She shook her head. "You were so decent and caring when Ianto was sick and after the Brecon Beacons but as soon as you aren't the most important thing in the mix you go right back to being rude and insulting and acting as if we're not good enough. Well, we are. In fact, we're better. And if you think you're all that then perhaps you should take a look at what you're shagging and then take a look at who Ianto is, and who I am. No comparison, Owen. It's like comparing a prize winning rose to a daisy." She shot a look of pure venom at Gwen. "And yes, that was an insult. Just in case you didn't get it."

Jack was biting his lip to keep from speaking. While Tosh's words were harsh, seeing her standing up for herself was well worth it and if he was honest it wasn't any less than either of them deserved. Especially Owen, who seemed to go out of his way to fling barbs at her. He could feel the slight flexing on the muscles of Ianto's arm where his hand still rested and he know that if either Owen or Gwen made a move there would be no stopping him. "I think we're getting a bit off..."

"Jack! I refuse to sit here and be talked about like that!" Gwen looked highly offended, her arms folded across her chest and her breathing quick and harsh.

"Don't worry, I'm done." Tosh got up. "Jack, Mary told me if you wanted to meet with her she would be willing. She wanted to come here though."

"Call her and bring her in but everyone is to be on their guard. While I don't think she means any harm I don't want anyone to not be ready in case things go wrong." Jack closed his fist around the pendant. "This needs to go in the secure archives. Ianto, if you would?" He passed it over, giving Ianto's arm one last squeeze before letting go. "Owen, Gwen, stay here. I want to speak to both of you." He waited until Ianto left the room before turning back to them. "This is me being your boss so keep that in mind. Owen, Tosh was right. For some reason you seem to think that your position here is more important than Tosh's or Ianto's. This is your boss telling you it's not. Find someplace to shove the attitude and leave it there or I will be doing it for you. Gwen, you act as if you are special because you have a relationship outside of here and then you promptly demean that same relationship by jumping into bed with Owen. If the two of you had kept it out of the Hub then I would not care. Actually, that's not true. I would care but only because I know when this falls apart - and I firmly believe it will - then I am going to have to deal with any fallout and remaining problems. Which I do not want. Keep your activities outside of Torchwood. And before either of you think you have a right to comment on the relationship between Ianto and me, think again. Neither of us have anyone else in our lives and we are not using it to hurt someone. You two, on the other hand, seem to delight in shoving it in Tosh's face. Both of you know she had feelings for Owen but cared nothing for hurting her. I'm very glad to see her finding something elsewhere and I believe she has finally gotten to the point where she sees that she is better than being your punch toy." He stood up. "You both owe her an apology for yesterday. A sincere one. And Owen? A word of advice. Don't ever speak to her like that again or Ianto is going to show you that while you think you have a chance against him you don't. Now get back to work." He left the boardroom, stopping long enough to kiss Ianto's cheek, pat his arse and wink at a giggling Tosh before running lightly up the steps to his office and closing the door. The reopening of said door and his head popping out with a lewd grin on his face made them both burst out laughing. "I still want details!" He ducked back in and slammed the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**As always, thank you for reviewing and following and favoriting. I did want to say that I know my Tosh is far more outspoken than she was on the show but she's my Tosh and I like her that way. Besides, I think she should have told Owen what a twat he was and dumped the whole idea of something better, especially after what she heard with the pendant. Anyway, enough from me and of course RTD and the BBC still own 'em.**

Tosh was nervous. Knowing that Mary was coming to the base and that she was most likely an alien wearing a human form was bad enough but the fact that Jack was determined to find out everything he could about their encounter was making her do a good job of nibbling her nails down to stubs. Not to mention she was thoroughly sick of the people - some of the people - she worked with who seemed to feel that if they weren't making someone else miserable their life was not complete. She hadn't told Ianto or Jack but she had been sorely tempted to wear the pendant when she came to the Hub this morning and see just what Owen and to a lesser extent Gwen thought of her. She knew it wouldn't have been good and most likely would have done nothing more than hurt her feelings but a part of her just couldn't stop wondering. It was all a moot point though as Ianto had locked up the pendant and she would never take advantage of their friendship to ask him to break the rules and get it back out from the secure archives.

"Tosh?"

Brought out of her musings, Tosh turned her head to look at Gwen. "What?" So it sounded a bit irritated and rude but then again she had no reason to worry about hurting their feelings when they had absolutely no hesitation in hurting hers, right?

Gwen flinched, obviously getting the point. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday. We were thoughtless and careless and we should have been more considerate of your computers."

"Of my computers. Never mind me."

Annoyance was clear for a moment on Gwen's face but she quickly got it under control and once more pasted the false smile and widened her eyes. "Oh of course you as well! Oh pet, we..."

"I am not a pet."

"It's a term of endearment," Gwen said, her jaw tightening.

"I find it offensive. I know you're only apologizing because Jack told you to. I also know that it means nothing because you were well aware of my feelings for Owen and yet you have gone out of your way to shove my face in the fact that you are sleeping with him. However, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I have come to the conclusion that he is an immature bastard who feels that women are good for nothing but taking care of his needs. I understand why he has become as cynical and full of anger as he is, so while I will not continue to subject myself to him and his rude and inconsiderate ways I will continue to feel compassion for the reasons behind his actions. You, on the other hand, are a selfish, snobby cow who feels that you are entitled to whatever you want. I am quite sure you are an only child who has been catered to by your parents since you were born. Well, you are now in a world that is mired in reality. Welcome to Torchwood, and you might like to keep in mind that the universe does not revolve around you. So thank you for the far less than sincere apology. It isn't accepted but it was expected. Now, I have work to do before Mary arrives and I would appreciate if you would go find something to do." And leaving Gwen speechless, Tosh spun her chair back to face her monitors and went back to checking through her translation program looking for problems caused by the previous day's interruption, all the while keeping one eye on CCTV monitor that overlooked the entrance to the tourist office.

Gwen mumbled something under her breath and stomped back to her desk, flinging herself into the chair and snatching a file from the pile and opening it so violently the cover ripped. Now cursing aloud she looked round for Ianto to demand a new one, only to see him point toward the storage cabinet with a smirk as he headed for the door to go up to the office to wait for Mary's arrival. Still swearing, and now adding in several remarks about people not recognized their betters, Gwen went to get another folder, passing Owen on her way as he headed for Tosh. Curious to see how he would be received, Gwen stopped turned back, trying to tuck herself out of sight in the archway as he stopped beside Tosh.

"Tosh, I..."

"Don't bother. You are only here because Jack told you to apologize. As I told Gwen, I don't accept it. If you meant it I would forget the whole thing but I'm not going to. What I don't understand is why you behave like you do, Owen. I have never been anything but supportive of you, I've done all I can to help you and you still use every opportunity to be degrading and rude. Well, I've had enough. I am actually your superior here in terms of length of service and I expect to be spoken to with respect. I don't care if you like me. There was a time when I would have done anything for you to notice me but quite frankly I've decided that you are far too much of an immature twat to ever deserve me. So don't bother to spout meaningless words at me. Now if you don't mind, I am trying to see just how badly you and your shag partner have damaged my program. Oh, and Owen?" She looked at him and slid her glasses down her nose to eye him over the lenses. "Ianto is my best friend. Just as he will stand up for me, I will stand up for him. And since I've moved past whatever feelings I had for you, I see no reason why putting a heel in your crotch in any way affects me." She pushed her glasses back up and smiled at him. "Now, don't you have work to do?" She turned her head, ignoring him as he stood there in shock, his jaw moving but nothing coming out. Stunned by her words - and slightly surprised to find himself hurt by them as well - Owen turned and wandered back to his desk, dropping into his chair and turning it to stare at her, wondering why he had never seen her before.

-TW-

Ianto looked up when the door to the TIC opened. He smiled, a polite, professional curve of his lips and nodded his head in greeting to the woman from the previous night. "Nice to see you again, Mary."

"I hope so." She was obviously nervous; her hands were fidgeting with her coat and her hair, her eyes taking in every corner of the small space. "Is Tosh here?"

"Of course, I'll be taking you down to her. I must ask you to remove your coat first, and allow me to scan you for weapons."

The laugh was forced. "Weapons? Why would I have weapons?" She made no move to take off her coat and Ianto casually reached up and activated his comm.

"I don't expect you to have any. It's just a precautionary thing, not exactly a good idea to let an unknown in without scanning for weapons." Ianto moved slowly out from behind the counter. "No one is planning on doing anything to harm you. You told Tosh you knew who we were and you have access to some powerful alien tech. We just plan on talking to you, Mary. Now please, remove the coat." He took another step toward her. "If you are carrying anything that might be a weapon and therefore indicate you are a threat, please tell me now and simply hand it over. A show of faith would go a long way in gaining our trust."

Slowly she unbuttoned her coat and slipped it off her shoulders. Once her arms were free, she handed it to Ianto who folded it over his arm. She stared at him, her lower lip caught in her teeth as she seemed to be debating with herself as to the truth of his words.

It was then he felt it - a strange push inside his mind. Ianto frowned and shook his head. "I'm afraid that is considered a hostile action," he said softly, "and I am going to have to ask you to turn round so I can secure your hands. Do not attempt to enter my mind again because I will know it and I will react with force if I need to." He tossed the coat on the desk and pulled a set of Weevil cuffs from his pocket. "I expect that you have heard what has occurred, Jack. I am getting ready to use the cuffs and then I will bring her down." He motioned at her to turn. "Mary, we can do this as easily as you want. You can turn round, allow me to place these on your wrists and we will walk to the lift and go down to the Hub. Or, if you chose to make this difficult, I will stun you and then cuff you and you will be moved down to the Hub and set up for interrogation. Please do not force me to..."

It was then she pulled the knife from behind her and lunged.

-TW-

"I'm so sorry!"

"It's not your fault."

"She came here because of me!"

"Actually, I think she came here for more than you." Jack stood in front of the observation window, looking down into the interrogation room. "Remember the stapler? It's a transport, so she may well be looking for it as a way to go home. She's Arcateenian, Tosh. She's slightly more violent than they usually are though." He turned his head at the sound of footsteps and grinned at Ianto. "You are quick on your feet, Mister Jones."

"Fastest stun gun in Wales, sir." He didn't object when Jack drew him close to his side, instead leaning slightly against him. "I'm sorry, Tosh. I really didn't want to do it but this is the cute suit and Jack would have been devastated if it ended up sliced and bloody."

"I would have bought you another suit but it was the thought of you being sliced and bloody that I didn't like." Jack sighed and gave Ianto an affectionate pat on the arse. "I have to go be the big, mean boss now. Are you going to watch?"

"I should. I've noticed that there are times your technique needs some work. I could take notes and we could practice."

Tosh's jaw dropped. "Ianto! I cannot believe you said that!"

Ianto shrugged. "I'm simply doing my job as his general support officer in making sure everything goes as well as it possibly could. If his technique needs a bit of brushing up, how can I not volunteer my services?"

"You can volunteer your services for anything you like," Jack purred. He grinned when Ianto blushed. "Now, time to find out what she really wants. Tosh, I want you to come with me. She might talk to you before she tells me anything and if I can find out what we need to know without..." He sighed. "I'd rather do it the easy way if we can."

Tosh nodded. "I'll try." She started for the steps that lead to the door.

Jack shook his head. "I hope this works, because if things get bad..."

"She knows, Jack. She knows the last thing you want is to hurt her." He kissed Jack's cheek. "Go find out what she really wants. I'll be right here if you need me."

"I'll always need you." Jack stepped away, giving Ianto one last smile before following Tosh.

-TW-

Tosh entered the small, windowless room and sat cross the table from Mary, Jack coming in behind her and taking up a position leaning on the wall. Tosh sighed and rested her arms on the table, interlocking her fingers to keep them from noticeably shaking. "No one was going to hurt you. Did you think I would have let them? It was simply a precaution, and they would have been removed as soon as you were down here. You could have hurt Ianto, and if you had there wouldn't have been another chance for you. Why did you do that? Was all this some sort of game so you could get into the Hub and get your hands on that transporter?"

Mary jerked back, shocked by the question. "You know what it is?"

Jack nodded. "We do, and I'm guessing you were a political prisoner. What we don't know is what that skeleton has to do with it all. It's definitely not an Arcateenian like you." He stepped forward and rested his hands on the table, leaning closer to her. "What's the hole in the chest from, Mary? See, I really hope we can work this all out because Tosh seems to like you and if this is all some sort of game you're playing to get in here through her well..." He shook his head. "I will not be happy. And I doubt you'd like me when I'm not happy. In fact..." He suddenly lifted his hands and slammed them back down on the metal table, making both Mary and Tosh jump, Mary cowering back in her chair with her eyes wide and Tosh trying to pretend he hadn't scared her half to death. "I can promise you won't like me. So talk."

Mary scowled at him, her eyes narrowed. "I was a political prisoner. I was on the wrong side in a rebellion. I was sentenced to life on a planet where they specialized in holding long-lifed prisoners, turning them into slaves. Somehow the ship ended up here, back in the early 1800s. My guard was killed. I managed to get loose and when I left the site a woman saw me. This woman. I took her form. A man was chasing her and when he tried to grab me I shoved my hand into his chest and ripped out his heart. I needed to feed this body to keep it perfect." She smiled at Tosh. "And it is perfect, isn't it? You've explored every inch of it, haven't you?" she purred.

"You used me," Tosh said, her throat tight.

"That was my original plan but I liked you. You can leave with me. We can take the transporter and go to another planet. Explore the universe with me, Toshiko."

"Not to put a damper on your plans but you aren't taking it anywhere. Now see, if you had been less inclined to rip out and eat hearts I would have done whatever I could to give you a life here. But, since you have a rather unorthodox manner of survival - which I know is not necessary for your species - I'm going to have to say you aren't going anywhere. Now I just have to figure out what..."

"Stop it!" Tosh suddenly cried. "Get out of my head!"

"You have five seconds to stop or I will shoot you!" Jack pulled his Webley and aimed it at Mary's head. "And don't bother to try to get into mine, my shields are far too powerful for you to get through and all you will do is make me pull this trigger!" He gently nudged Tosh with his hip. "Go. Tell Ianto to get a cell ready for her. She can stay there while we decide what to do with her." Tosh nodded and pushed herself to her feet. She was obviously upset and Jack hated that this was one more in a long list of things that had caused hurt to the gentle soul he knew resided within her. "Tosh, after Ianto is done tell him to let me know and then you and he head out. Go to his house and I'll be there as soon as I can."

Tosh didn't say a word and with a last look at Mary she hurriedly left.

Jack lowered the gun. "If you make any attempt to get into any of my team's heads again there will be no choice. I'll send you someplace I can promise you will never return from. Understand?"

"Yes!" she hissed. "I didn't want to hurt her! Just give me the transport and let me go!"

"Not a chance. I'm not releasing you on another unsuspecting planet." He turned his head when the door opened and footsteps sounded behind him. "The cell ready?"

"Yes sir."

Ianto looked as angry as Jack did and while he knew the younger man would never simply execute the woman, he also knew that the fact she hurt Tosh was enough to make him want to cause her some sort of harm. "Take Tosh home with you. I want her away from this one and the whole atmosphere here. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Yes sir." Ianto turned and started out of the room but stopped after a few steps and turned back. "You lied to her. You made her feel special and I really wanted to thank you for that. But now?" He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "All I want to do is cause you a thousand times more pain than you caused her. Just be glad I have enough self-control not to, and that while I know he feels the same Jack would never let me dirty my hands or my conscious over something like you." He left, the quiet closing of the door behind him sounding as final as his words.

"Let's go." Jack holstered his gun and grabbed her arm, dragging her to her feet and ignoring her attempts to explain and to reason her actions as he shoved her up the steps and down the corridor toward the vaults.


	4. Chapter 4

**So we have come to the final part of this episode and while things may not have gone perfectly I promise there are plans for good things to happen. Thanks again for the support and there will be another chapter of Interludes before we begin the Unseen version of They Keep Killing Suzie.**

After warning Gwen and Owen to stay as far away from the cells as possible, Jack informed them that unless they were needed He, Tosh and Ianto were unavailable and they could keep an eye on the Rift. If it was quiet, they could leave when their paperwork and any other outstanding issues were completed but if he came back that night and found one piece of paper left on their desks they were on Weevil duty for the next six months. It was obvious that he meant it and neither of them were anxious to be on the receiving end of that punishment for the foreseeable future so they simply agreed and got to work, only sitting back with sighs of relief when he walked out the door.

Unable to resist, Gwen turned her monitor on to watch Mary in the cell. "Owen?"

"What?" With a much better idea of what had happened to the skeleton currently residing on the autopsy table, Owen was taking full advantage to simply write the report instead of digging through the bones.

"Did you know Tosh liked girls?"

Owen glanced up. "Gwen, while I am not happy with the telling off she gave me and know that any comments on my part about the whole situation will be taken by Ianto as an excuse to kick my arse I am going to say this once. What Tosh does, or who Tosh likes, is not my business. Neither of us are in any position to toss about comments or opinions on the subject."

"I'm not! Really!" She tucked her hair behind her ear and sighed. "This job is turning me into a bitch."

Owen snorted. "Bollocks. You were always a bitch. You were just better at hiding it. And while I know that I have always been a bit of a twat, circumstances which Tosh mentioned have changed me. I'm just not sure how to change me back, and quite frankly the fact that I am currently shagging you doesn't offer much hope for that to happen."

"I didn't know she had feelings for you!"

"Oh stop your fucking lying!" Owen slammed his pen down and glared at her. "You did know! Just like you've known from when you started here that Jack had feelings for Ianto and Ianto had feelings for Jack. Even with that cyberwoman in the basement he had feelings for him and the reason you dislike him so much is that you can't get Jack interested because of it! I don't fool myself for a bloody moment that given the chance you would dump me and jump right into his bed!"

"He flirts with me!"

Owen smirked. "Not anymore! Give up, Gwen. Jack is only interested in Ianto. Now, finish that paperwork and we can have a good shag before we leave. And if it's still early, we can go back to mine and have another." He leered at her when she started to laugh.

"You're a wanker, Owen Harper."

"And you're a bitch, Gwen Cooper." He put his head back down, once more involved in writing the report on the skeleton. At her desk, Gwen turned her head and stared up at Jack's dark office. She let out a heavy sigh and forced her eyes back to the open folder on her desk, telling herself that given time, Jack would understand where he truly belonged.

-TW-

Jack knocked but didn't wait for the door to be answered, instead he simply opened it and stepped inside. He took off his coat and his boots, hanging the coat beside Ianto's and setting his boots on the rug beside the door. He made his way to the lounge to find Ianto sitting on the couch with Tosh tucked against his side, the two of looking slightly red-eyed and watching...

_Bambi?_

"You say one word and you are not only on decaf for the next six months you will only be getting sex from your hand," Ianto threatened.

Despite her red eyes Tosh giggled. "They just shot his mother," she explained.

"I'm familiar with it," Jack said, fighting back the urge to grin and coming over to sit next to Ianto. "I never knew you had such an extensive collection, Mister Jones. And a very diverse one as well."

Ianto lightly smacked his leg and then leaned his head on Jack's shoulder. "This is Mica's," he admitted. "I have a few movies of theirs. Rhiannon has been rather persistent in bringing them over when I have a few hours free." He eyed Jack. "You would know this if you didn't yelp and run off to hide when I mention she's coming by."

Jack wrapped an arm round Ianto's shoulders. "I do not yelp. I make a manly noise of approval that you are maintaining close relations with her and then I simply find myself in the position of needing to be somewhere else. It's all coincidence."

"Yes, of course it is. And after this shall I put in _Pinnochio_? It's an excellent way of showing the consequences of lying, sir."

"Brat," Jack said, his voice filled with affection. He kissed the side of Ianto's head. "I thought about bringing lunch but I think we need to do something else." He got up and turned off the television. "Come on, let's go."

Ianto grumbled and released Tosh so that she could sit up. "And where are we going?"

"First we are going to lunch. And then, my gorgeous Welshman, we are going to buy you a car."

Jack and Tosh had to go back and drag him from the couch after they had put on their shoes and coats because he was still sitting there with his chin on his chest.

-TW-

He probably would have at least argued more before he gave in (if he gave in at all since Jack had already done so much for him) but the enjoyment Tosh was getting out of Jack's reasons for dismissing his protests made Ianto only put half his heart into it. The best one was Jack's logic that on rainy days the hems of his trousers would get wet while he walked and if they got wet often they would fray and then he would have to replace them and of course replacing just the trousers would be impossible so he would have to replace a perfectly good jacket and then there was the waistcoat so all in all, in the long run, it would save him a fortune in suits. And shoes. Dumbfounded at that logic, Ianto had found himself agreeing with Tosh that the he liked the black Audi the best - although yes Jack, the red was nice too - and before he really had his head wrapped round it he was signing papers and Jack was writing a cheque and he was the owner of a gorgeous black Audi (he did manage to make Jack get one from the year before so it was at least slightly cheaper) and with keys in his hand he and Tosh were bundled inside with a stern order to take it for a good spin before going home.

So they did. And it was sleek and fast and brilliant and the radio was loud enough to drown out their singing and the windows worked and the locks worked and they pushed so many buttons Tosh ended up sitting nearly in the back seat while Ianto was driving with the steering wheel in his chest. It was wonderful and it was freeing and it made both of them forget the utter shit that had been going on in their lives for months and when they did pull up to the bungalow the garage door was open and waiting and Jack was sitting on the porch waiting for them and as soon as Ianto was out of the car he rushed to him, grabbing his coat and yanking him to his feet only to shove him against the door and proceed to kiss him until Tosh was giggling - and taking pictures with her phone - and Jack was seriously considering breaking in the Audi in a very special way. Both men were half hard when they parted and Jack kept Ianto in his arms, knowing that while he was all right with Tosh seeing them kiss he wasn't quite ready to put himself that much on display.

Unfortunately, like far too many wonderful things, life interfered and the three headed into the house to have a serious talk about just what they were going to do about Mary.

-TW-

Whatever plans they had made were changed when the three returned to the Hub and found Mary sitting on the couch with Gwen beside her. She had a gun pressed to Gwen's side and while she hadn't yet harmed her is was clear that Mary's implied threat could quickly change to an action. Jack sighed and shook his head, motioning for Tosh and Ianto to stay behind him. "As much as I am dreading the answer I have to ask how this happened."

Mary smiled. "Your doctor is so kind and caring. When he saw me in distress, my life fading as I convulsed on the cold, cement floor he had to of course come and save me. Once he was in the cell it was simply a matter of entering his mind. He is rather sad though." Her lips formed a pout. "So much angst. So much pain and suffering. So much in love with an ideal of a woman from his past." She glanced at Gwen. "Oddly enough, the only thoughts he had of her was the shag they planned on having when they finished their work. I do apologize as neither did quite get done." Mary reached over and stroked Gwen's hair. "Now this one. Oh the thoughts, the things that are in her mind." She frowned and turned her eyes to Tosh. "She pities you. She finds you pathetic. Out of fashion, out of date, and out of luck." She then looked to Ianto. "Oh how she hates you. And so, so jealous. She wishes you had been executed or you had died before you were found. She thinks that the only reason you're still here is the fact that you are so willing to suck Jack's cock. But she is willing too. So, so willing."

"Jack, I..."

"Gwen, now is not the time for you to try to deny this. Obviously she's been in your mind." He put his hands on his hips. "So I'm guessing you want to trade her for the transporter?"

"I would have been gone but it was locked away." Mary let her hand slide from Gwen's hair down to her shoulder. "I could take her along."

"No." Jack turned and headed for his office. "You take the transporter and leave. If I ever catch you on this planet again I won't hesitate to terminate you." He took the stairs three at a time, going into his office where they could hear him opening his private storage archive to retrieve the transport. It took him a few minutes during which time Gwen was getting twitchy and Tosh was getting angry.

"So all this for a way to leave?" Tosh spat, her eyes flashing.

"Oh no, no my beautiful Toshiko. If I thought you would, I would take you to see things you have only ever imagined." Suddenly the human figure was gone and in its place was a glowing white alien life form with an opaque body and long, slender tendrils of hair and what passed for fingers that swayed through the air. She was breathtaking in her beauty, a rounded face with large eyes and even as Tosh gasped aloud it was gone and Mary had returned. "Say yes, Toshiko," she whispered.

"No." Tosh moved closer to Ianto, the two of them looking up when Jack emerged from his office. He came down the steps with the transport in hand, stopping just on the other side of the low table and waiting.

Mary got to her feet and pulled Gwen up as well, using her to shield herself. She wrapped the arm that held the gun around Gwen's waist and pointed the muzzle upwards, holding her other hand out for Jack to pass her the device. "Give it to me!"

"Let her go." Jack started to hold it out and just as Mary went to touch it he darted forward and grabbed Gwen's arm, literally dragging her across the table as the gun was knocked out of Mary's hand. He released the transport and stepped back as it began to whine, Mary's eyes going wide. "Oh, did I mention I set it to enable?" he said. Before she could answer there was a blinding flash of light and Mary and the transport vanished, leaving three of them standing with stunned looks on their faces and a very grim Jack. "Ianto, go let Owen out."

"Where is she?" Gwen asked, wide-eyed.

"I set it for a planet on the edge of the Daslstan cluster," Jack said. "It's a closed world, which means that she'll be trapped there for the rest of her life. Beings that arrive uninvited are put to work in the mines but they are at least cared for." He sighed, turning to face Tosh. "I'm sorry, but she would have continued to kill. I had no choice. If she had waited we might have been able to do something differently but the way she manipulated Owen and Gwen..." He moved closer to Tosh and took her in his arms. "I'm so sorry," he said softly.

"You might as well have murdered her!" Gwen shouted.

"No, I negated a threat. It's not an ideal place but at least she is still alive. Don't start with your high morals and belief that your way is always right. What she said she heard from your mind is not making me feel very charitable toward you right now. Finish your work and go home." Jack turned and started toward the steps, taking Tosh with him. He suddenly stopped and burst out laughing. "Oh, now that is a sight. I think we need to check the CCTV to see exactly what happened."

Tosh's eyes went wide and she sputtered, trying to hold in the laugh that eventually got the best of her and burst forth. Ianto, looking pained, headed for the kitchen. "I need a coffee. And something to scrub that from my eyes. If you plan on checking the CCTV, sir, please leave me out."

Grabbing his lab coat Owen shrugged it on. "Not my fault," he muttered, turning to go down to the autopsy bay where Mary had thrown his clothes after locking him, naked, in the cell. "Alien influence."

Still laughing, Jack and Tosh entered his office, taking a seat of the couch and waiting for Ianto to arrive with their coffees. "Are you really going to be all right with this?" Jack asked her.

"I think I'm going to start a 'My Girlfriend Was a Murdering Alien' club with Ianto."

Jack winced. "Ouch."

Tosh sighed and snuggled against his side. "It's not your fault. You do what's best for us. Besides, you gave her a chance. Several of them. And you could have killed her instantly by, oh, sending her into the Sun. Although," she said thoughtfully, "if you had, it is nighttime so it might not have been too hot."

Ianto could only wonder what Tosh could have said to cause the expression on Jack's face when he walked through the door with the tray of coffees in hand.


End file.
